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BALL'S BLUFF 

AN EPISODE AND ITS 

CO NSEQUENCES TO 

SOME OF US. 



A paper written for the 
Military Historical Society of Massachusetts 



By Charles Lawrence Peirson 

a 

Colonel and Brevet Brigadier General. 



Privately printed by The Salem Press Company 

with permission from the 

Military Historical Society of Massachusetts 

for the information later on of 

Charles Lawrence Peirson, of New York, and 

Charles Peirson Lyman, of Massachusetts 



THE SALEM PRESS COM PAX V 

SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS 

MDCCCCXIII 






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to THE EPISODE OF BALL'S BLUFF: 

AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 
TO SOME OF US. 

This subject, like many of the periods 
of the Civil War, has been often described, 
and is familiar to the passing generation, 
but has, I believe, never before been 
placed upon your records, nor by an eye 
witness. Therefore, I venture to present 
it here. 

The Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment 
of Volunteer Infantry, in which I had the 
honor to be a First Lieutenant and Adju- 
tant, left Boston in the Autumn of 
1861, for active service with the army. 

It was commanded by William Raymond 
1 



2 THE EPISODE OF 

Lee, as Colonel, — a West Point graduate. 
Paul J. Revere was the Major. It had 
been, before the date of the Ball's Bluff 
engagement, but a few weeks in the ser- 
vice, and was stationed first at Wash- 
ington, where I remember calling with 
Colonel Lee, who knew them, upon Gen- 
eral Scott, then commanding the Armies 
of the United States, and upon General 
McClellan, then Commander of the Army 
of the Potomac. 

The men of the Regiment, like all of the 
troops in the East at that time, were un- 
trained by battle, never having heard the 
sound of a hostile bullet, and were of no 
more value as soldiers than were the Mi- 
litia Regiments. Soldiers are not soldiers 
until they have been long enough together 
to have acquaintance with and respect for 
their officers, and have learned obedience 



BALL'S BLUFF 3 

with a belief in discipline, with a willing- 
ness to abide by it. The earlier Battle of 
Bull Run, which became a rout for want 
of discipline, proved nothing and taught 
nothing except the after-thought of the 
necessity of discipline. 

Up to this time (1861), the important 
arms of Cavalry and Artillery had been 
almost entirely neglected, most of the 
Cavalry not yet being armed or equipped. 

General McClellan, who was in com- 
mand when we joined the Army of the 
Potomac, was a thoroughly educated 
soldier. Soon after his graduation from 
West Point, he was employed in the con- 
struction of the first Pacific Railway. 
Later he was selected as one of a Com- 
mission to study the Art of War in Europe. 
For a time he was with the Allied Armies 
in the Crimean War, with every possi- 



4 THE EPISODE OF 

bility of instructing himself in siege opera- 
tions, construction of military bridges 
and use of pontoons, and the accepted 
order of battle for the different arms of 
the service. Always occupied with mat- 
ters of large importance, and with all 
these military experiences, he became the 
best equipped man for the command of 
the Union Army. General McClellan 
was the most popular Commander that 
the Army ever had. The men thoroughly 
believed in him. Certainly the country 
owed much to him for the thorough organ- 
ization of the Army, which enabled less 
qualified Commanders, (before the time 
of Meade and Grant), to accomplish some- 
thing with it. 

The Twentieth Massachusetts Regi- 
ment was attached to General Stone's 
Corps of Observation, and was encamped 



BALL'S BLUFF 



near Edward's Ferry on the Potomac 
River, some three miles from Ball's Bluff. 
General Stone was an accomplished 
soldier and we all respected him as such. 

We were part of the Brigade of General 
F. W. Lander. I had known him well in 
Salem, where our families resided. He 
had had a most adventurous life as an ex- 
plorer, having once crossed the continent 
from San Francisco to the East, alone, his 
companion having died on the journey. 
His courage was unquestioned, and he had 
military ability. 

General Evans, who was the Confed- 
erate Commander of the enemy's forces 
near Leesburg, expected General Stone to 
attack him from Edward's Ferry, and 
was slow in moving troops to the vicinity 
of Ball's Bluff in consequence. On Octo- 
ber 20th, General McClellan received 



6 THE EPISODE OF 

information that the enemy had with- 
drawn from their advanced post at Lees- 
burg, and so advised General Stone, sug- 
gesting a demonstration to confirm this 
fact, or to accomplish it. 

General Stone ordered a reconnaissance 
by a few men from the force on Harrison's 
Island, which was opposite the high bluff 
of Ball's Bluff. They crossed in the 
moonlight, advanced a short distance, 
and retired, reporting to General Stone 
that they had discovered a Rebel camp, 
which afterwards proved to be merely 
openings in an orchard, which looked to 
their excited eyes like tents. However, 
the camp was taken for granted, and five 
Companies of the 15th, with two com- 
panies of the 20th Massachusettts — about 
450 men — were sent to capture it. They 
formed at the top of the Bluff, afterwards 



BALL'S BLUFF 7 

moving forward on theright, where they en- 
countered the picket reserve of the enemy, 
who retreated after a hot skirmish, and the 
Union force fell back to the Bluff. The 
companies mentioned had crossed the 
swiftly moving river in three small boats, 
whose carrying capacity was 28 persons 
per trip or 100 or more per hour, from 
Harrison's Island. The transportation 
proved utterly insufficient for moving the 
troops with any reasonable degree of 
rapidity. There were no pontoons or 
bridge material, or engineers capable of 
using them, provided or even thought of, 
and had not the quick intelligence and re- 
sourcefulness of Major Paul Revere dis- 
covered a scow, which was afterwards 
taken out of the canal and into the river, 
the movement could not have proceeded, 
especially as there were two howitzers to 
be taken across. 



8 THE EPISODE OF 

Colonel Baker, who commanded a Bri- 
gade in Landers Command (71st Pennsyl- 
vania or so-called California Regiment, 
and the 42nd New York, or Tammany 
Regiment), brought battalions of these 
regiments to reinforce our line, and under 
direct orders from General Stone, assumed 
command of the movement. Colonel 
Baker had some political reputation, and 
was a brave man, but he had no military 
experience or knowledge. He was shortly 
killed by a sharp-shooter from a tree be- 
tween the combatants. The sharp- 
shooter immediately met with an accident 
and fell from the tree. A rush was made 
forward to bring back General Baker's 
body, in which I joined, having for the 
moment no duties to prevent me. 

By this time there were many dead and 
wounded, and we used the boats to send 



BALL'S BLUFF 9 

them over to the Island. The cannons 
were useless,— since the ammunition was 
exhausted, and the cannoneers killed or 
wounded. We had seen but little of the 
enemy during the day, as they were in the 
woods while our line was in the open, but 
they had, nevertheless, very seriously 
made known their presence to us. We 
were too ignorant to attempt any sort of 
cover. Later in the war the men learned 
to cover themselves, while prone on the 
ground, by piling knapsacks, fence rails, 
or any handy thing, throwing soil, or 
stones dug up with the hands or in tin 
dippers, against the barrier. The 

strength of the forces engaged was about 
1600 Federals, against 3200 Confederates. 
Had there been proper transportation, 
this difference could have been remedied, 
but as it was, we felt our deficiency more 



10 THE EPISODE OF 

particularly when it was decided by 
Colonel Cogswell of the 42nd New York, 
who assumed command by seniority after 
the death of General Baker, to try to force 
our way through on the left. 

He concluded to move to the left of 
Edward's Ferry, some three miles down 
the river, where there was a chance of re- 
inforcement, and gave orders to that 
effect. He formed a column with the 
42nd New York and the 71st. Pennsyl- 
vania at its head, and moved in that di- 
rection, but they were unable to make 
much progress, owing to the overwhelm- 
ing fire of the enemy, who threw their 
whole force against us, and we were forced 
to fall back. 

At this time I could not help observing 
the courage and gallant bearing of Cap- 
tain (afterwards Colonel) John Markoe, 



BALL'S BLUFF 11 

of the 71st Pennsylvania, and when I met 
him that night, a fellow prisoner at the 
Headquarters of Colonel Evans, I claimed 
his acquaintance. Captain Markoe formed 
one of our mess at Libby Prison, and 
thus originated the friendship which lasted 
through his life. 

Meanwhile the wounded men were be- 
ing slowly carried across the river. Later 
the enemy threw forward their line, and 
ours gave way, falling back at the Bluff 
at about 6 P. M., where we managed to 
hold on a while longer with our line still 
intact, and finally under orders continued 
the movement to the river bank. The 
men were permitted to save themselves 
by swimming, if they could, and many at- 
tempted this feat. It was not so very 
difficult for a strong man to cross in this 
way. 



12 THE EPISODE OF 

The Confederates could not come down 
to the Bluff without breaking up their 
organization, being unable to see, owing 
to the trees and darkness, what was in 
their front, and the firing by our men re- 
tarded them for some hours. They kept 
up, however, a continued firing, especially 
on the boats and the many swimmers. 
The scow, which had already carried over 
many wounded, now started on her last 
trip, but when starting, a number of un- 
injured men rushed forward, disturbing 
the trim of the boat, so that half way 
across the river she rolled over, and all 
were thrown out. Only one man is known 
to have escaped drowning. The scow 
floated down the stream and was lost. 
The small boats were riddled by bullets 
and disappeared, and all those who had 
not escaped were taken prisoners during 
the night. 



BALL'S BLUFF 13 

Colonel Lee of the Twentieth Regiment 
was a man over middle age, therefore 
much beyond the rest of us in years, and 
could not swim the river. He was urged 
to go in one of the boats, but refused to do 
so while a single wounded man remained 
on the Virginia shore. Therefore, some 
of us whose duty, as we saw it, lay in that 
direction, accompanied him up the river, 
hoping if unmolested to reach some Union 
forces in that quarter. Finding after a 
while a boat, for which we gave a colored 
man our only ten dollar gold piece, we en- 
deavored to use it, but a hole in the bot- 
tom of it seemed, in the presence of hostile 
bullets, to make it undesirable, so we pro- 
ceeded along the bank to a more secure 
position, where we made a raft of fence 
rails bound together with our sword belts. 
It was successfully launched, but before 



14 THE EPISODE OF 

we could use it we were dismayed to see 
it slowly disappear to rest on the bottom 
of the river. 

Proceeding again, our party at this 
time being Major Revere, Doctor Revere 
and Lieutenant Perry, besides Colonel 
Lee and myself, we came to what we 
thought might be an outpost. While en- 
deavoring to avoid it, we found ourselves 
on the top of a farmer's gate, and at that 
moment we were hailed with the remark, 
"Who goes there?" from a company of 
Cavalry, whose carbines were pointed at 
us, and unpleasantly near our faces. Re- 
plying that we would explain if the fire 
was delayed for a moment, we completed 
our movement and surrendered to the 
inevitable. 

Our captors politely accepted our pis- 
tols and swords, I being obliged to give 



BALL'S BLUFF 15 

up the sword of Lieutenant William Put- 
nam of the 20th Regiment, a young Har- 
vard student, from whom I had taken it 
as he lay mortally wounded on the battle 
field. This sword, which I had in mis- 
taken kindness taken, was accidentally 
discovered in Philadelphia some years 
since, and it being marked with the name, 
was returned to his mother, who received 
it almost as a message from Heaven. 

We were taken on foot to the Head- 
quarters of the General in Command of 
their forces in the Town of Leesburg, 
Virginia, where were gathered other pris- 
oners. By this time night had succeeded 
day. We were nearly exhausted, and 
were not cheered by the thought that we 
were prisoners of war about to begin our 
captivity. 

At this date there was no Cartel of Ex- 



16 THE EPISODE OF 

change. Our imagination recalled prisons 
of all sorts, among them Dartmoor, 
about which we had heard in our child- 
hood. The future seemed dim, but when 
the General in command offered to restore 
us to our friends upon our agreement not 
to serve again against the Confederacy, 
no one was found willing to accept the 
offer. Indeed we were somewhat abu- 
sive in chiding him for offering such terms 
to gentlemen, and suggested that he was 
hardly worthy of the appellation. His pa- 
tience was exhausted by the conversation 
that followed and wewerehurriedlystarted 
towards Richmond, without waiting for 
rations. 

We passed through the Battlefield of 
Bull Run, and halting there were shown 
into a stone structure which had been the 
target for many cannon balls from both 



BALL'S BLUFF 17 

sides during the battle. Here was given 
about midnight a meal, the first for 24 
hours, which we managed to slightly cook 
by making fires upon the floor with laths 
wrenched from the ceiling. Somewhat 
refreshed we took passage in open freight 
cars for Richmond and Libby Prison. 

Our march was over and we began, as 
prisoners of war, the long, weary months 
in Libby Prison. 

I have termed the affair of Ball's Bluff 
an Episode. It certainly formed no part 
of a movement by other troops. It was 
only casually directed by General Mc- 
Clellan, and only informally by General 
Stone. The results astonished both of 
these gentlemen. 

The action arose from a misunder- 
standing caused by a quartermaster's ex- 
cited imagination. The details of trans- 



18 THE EPISODE OF 

portation were not thought out before- 
hand by anyone, nor time given to their 
perfection. 

General McCall, who had a force not 
far off, which was not called into action, 
expresses himself as "unable to account 
for Stone's movement," — thought it in- 
judicious. It proved afterwards that 
Stone had not the means to cross the 
river. He could not have crossed in the 
face of the "enemy." 

General Lander says, "Stone was trip- 
ped up by circumstances. If we had 
orders to cross that stream, we would have 
had them a week beforehand." 

General McClellan says to the Com- 
mittee on the Conduct of the War, who 
(judged by the questions which they put), 
seemed to consider themselves educated 
soldiers, competent to give orders in act- 



BALL'S BLUFF 19 

ual battle, — "Telegraphed Stone after 
Baker fell. Intrench yourselves on the 
Virginia side and await reinforcements if 
necessary. Telegraphed Banks to sup- 
port him with three brigades. On the 
22nd inst. I went personally to the scene 
of operation (probably to Edward's 
Ferry), and after ascertaining that the 
enemy were strengthening themselves at 
Leesburg, and that the means of crossing 
or recrossing were very insufficient, I 
withdrew our forces to the Virginia side." 
General Meade in his published letters, 
(he then commanded a Brigade in Mc- 
Call's Division), writes October 24th, 
"Regarding Ball's Bluff, as far as I can 
gather, the whole affair was a bungle 
from beginning to end. The worst part 
of the business is that at the very time 
our people were contending against such 



20 THE EPISODE OF 

odds, the advance of McCall's division 
was only 10 miles off and had we been 
ordered forward instead of back, we could 
have captured the whole of them." 

Such is contemporary judgment and 
criticism. 

The following stanzas were written by 
Brigadier General F. W. Lander on hear- 
ing that the Confederate Troops said, — 
"Fewer of the Massachusetts officers 
would have been killed, had they not been 
too proud to surrender." 

Aye, deem us proud, for we are more 
Than proud of all our mighty dead ; 
Proud of the bleak and rock-bound shore 
A crowned oppressor cannot tread. 

Proud of each rock, and wood and glen, 
Of every river, lake and plain ; 
Proud of the calm and earnest men, 
Who claim the right and will to reign. 



BALL'S BLUFF 21 

Proud of the men who gave us birth, 
Who battled with the stormy wave, 
To sweep the Red Man from the Earth, 
And build their homes upon his grave. 

Proud of the holy summer morn 
They traced in blood upon its sod ; 
The rights of freeman yet unborn; 
Proud of their language and their God. 

Proud that beneath our proudest dome, 
And round the cottage cradled hearth, 
There is a welcome and a home 
For every stricken race on earth. 

Proud that yon slowly sinking sun 
Saw drowning lips grow white in prayer, 
O'er such brief acts of duty done, 
As honor gathers from despair. 

Pride — 'tis our watchword, "Clear the 

boats," 
"Holmes, Putnam, Bartlett, Peirson — 

Here" 



22 THE EPISODE OF 

And while this crazy wherry floats, 
"Let's save our wounded," cries Revere. 

Old State, — some souls are rudely sped — 
This record for thy Twentieth Corps, — 
Imprisoned, wounded, dying, dead, 
It only asks, — "Has Sparta more?" 



The tobacco warehouse which we occu- 
pied, is on the main street of Richmond. 
It was similar to several other buildings 
and they were all used as Military Prisons, 
and all called Libby Prison. It is a large, 
three-story building and built as it was, 
in a most substantial manner, was well 
adapted for a Military Prison. The first 
floor was alloted to the officers captured, 
some 70 in number, and the other stories 
filled with the men, perhaps 250 of them. 
In the centre of the lower or officers' floor 
is placed the heavy machinery for press- 



BALL'S BLUFF 23 

ing and preparing the tobacco, thus di- 
viding the space into two equal sections, 
and occupying one-half of the floor space, 
which was 65 x 45 feet. 

The windows on the street floor are well 
protected by iron bars, while those op- 
posite are unprovided with bars, and open 
upon the yard, but guarded by sentinels 
stationed there, with orders to shoot any 
prisoners in either story who lean out of 
the windows. Seven men were shot by 
these guardsmen while I was confined 
there. Those dying in the nearby hos- 
pital were taken to this yard for shipment 
elsewhere in wagons. 

We had no inducement to peer inquisi- 
tively from the windows. The windows 
on the street, however, afforded us some 
more interesting views. Some of the 
towns-people were almost always out- 



24 THE EPISODE OF 

side-lookers-in, and occasionally someone 
would, when unnoticed by the guard at 
the entrance, show a sign of sympathy. 
We frequently saw Jeff Davis riding by, 
and we always took pains to regale him 
with pertinent remarks befitting his high 
rank, or with some applicable song. One 
song was called the Prison Song, to the 
tune of, — "John Brown's Body lies a- 
Slumbering in the Ground." The words, 
descriptive of our situation, I do not re- 
member, but the refrain ran, — "Roll on 
Sweet Moments, Roll on, and let the poor 
prisoners go home, go home." 

There were ten mess tables made of 
rough boards, and benches or stools. 
The fare was meagre; the floor hard for 
sleeping, though later we procured some 
cots; the covering insufficient, and the 
vermin ineffaceable pests. We had al- 



BALL'S BLUFF 25 

most no books, nothing to help pass the 
time. We took daily walks by reliefs, up 
and down one side of our scanty quarters. 
There was a daily roll call, when chaffing 
the Officer of the Day gave slight amuse- 
ment. At one time three or four of our 
companions escaped from prison, passing 
the guard by a show of authority. The 
wearing of Federal uniforms secured on 
the field of battle was so common in the 
streets, that the guards could hardly tell 
friends from foe. 

At that time the whole Rebel Army 
was encamped near Richmond, and in 
consequence it availed nothing to be out- 
side the walls of the prison. The escaped 
prisoners were in a day or two brought 
back and put in irons. While they were 
gone we had with some success answered 
for their names at Roll Call from a distant 



26 THE EPISODE OF 

part of the room. We devised a way of 
unlocking the irons, and by putting a de- 
tail of our men to give warning of the ap- 
proach of officials, were able to give some 
relief to the sufferers. 

The Commander of the Prison was the 
notorious Wirtz, afterwards hung for 
cruelty to prisoners by the United States 
Government. One of his juniors was a 
Lieutenant Todd, said to be a brother of 
Mrs. Abraham Lincoln. He was always 
abusing Lincoln, and was especially strict 
and disagreeable, even more so than his 
superior, Wirtz. 

We formed a society, and held meetings, 
at which speeches were made and stories 
told, more or less accurate. When any 
new officers, taken on the various battle- 
fields, came, we initiated them, and, in the 
openness of their confidence, got from 



BALL'S BLUFF 27 

them the story of their early lives and 
loves, which afforded us amusement, until 
they discovered a way to be brief in their 
statements. 

The privates, who were mostly intelli- 
gent volunteers, had similar difficulty in 
passing time. They had, however, one 
successful thing which interested them 
for a time. The money then in circula- 
tion in Richmond consisted entirely of 
paper money, in the form of Corporation 
notes, and those of business firms, plank 
roads, or private bankers, etc. 

Our men discovered in their quarters 
a half barrel of such material, needing 
only to be signed and issued. This was 
readily accomplished, and as they took 
care to have the issue in fractional 
amounts, it was never questioned, and 
served its purpose of increasing the Cur- 



28 THE EPISODE OF 

rency of the Realm. Through the kind- 
ness of one of the guards, this served to 
supply them with tea and tobacco pur- 
chased for them in the city. 

One day General Winder, a former 
member of the U. S. A., now commanding 
the District of Richmond, came with the 
staff in full uniform to make an official 
visit to the prison. He read an order of 
the Confederate War Department, direct- 
ing him to select Officers bearing the 
highest rank, to be held as hostage for the 
lives of as many Privateer men who were 
held in Federal Prisons under the charge 
of piracy on the High Seas. The order re- 
quired the hostages to be confined in the 
cells reserved for prisoners accused of in- 
famous crimes. The hostages selected, 
seven in number, were under this order, 
taken to Henrico County Jail, a stone 



BALL'S BLUFF 29 

building in Richmond, with high windows 
looking out upon a stone wall not ten feet 
off, of equal height with the jail. 

Colonel Lee and Major Revere were 
among the chosen seven who were taken 
to the jail, where their hardships were 
more than ours were, who remained in 
Libby Prison. Colonel Lee writes to the 
Adjutant, dated Cell No. — , County Jail. 
"Dear C, — We are all well. This is in- 
deed a prison. We have two meals a 
day. I will not dwell upon our situation. 
Seven persons in one cell, 11 x 17 feet, in 
which all the duties of life are met. Iron 
grated door and two high grated windows. 
Does the sun shine? Is it pleasant to 
look on the sky? A County Jail is not 
a fit place for men charged with construc- 
tive crimes. No despondent thoughts 
cross our manhood. Come what may, 



30 THE EPISODE OF 

that shall stand a rich legacy to the dear 
ones who cluster about our home altars." 
Moved by this recital, seven officers of 
those remaining in Libby Prison peti- 
tioned General Winder for leave to take 
the place of the hostages, but it was re- 
fused. In February the hostages were 
returned to the warehouse, their former 
prison, and afterwards exchanged. In 
due time, after much exertion on the part 
of the Union Officers, the Privateers were 
released as pirates and turned over to the 
Navy Department. Finally we were all 
exchanged for officers of equal rank held 
in Northern prisons, and were able after 
a short vacation, of which we stood in 
need, to return to our Regiments, then 
serving with the Army of the Potomac on 
the Peninsula. We had lost so much 
weight that our clothes were all a misfit 
and we needed a new supply. 



' 



BALL'S BLUFF 31 

When we exchanged in 1862, I was sent 
to Norfolk on my way to Fortress Mon- 
roe. The Confederate steamer which 
carried us met the Federal steamer half 
way. When we saw again the Stars and 
Stripes we were overpowered with emo- 
tion, and fell with streaming eyes upon 
our knees on the deck, raising our arms 
to Heaven and offering thanks to God for 
all his mercies. 



SUPPLEMENTARY 



MILITARY RECORD 
OF WRITER. 



Lieutenant and Adjutant, July 1, 1861 

Lieutenant-Colonel, Aug. 30, 1862 

Colonel, July 13, 1864 

Colonel by Brevet for conduct in the bat- 
tles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvan- 
ia, Virginia 

Brigadier-General by Brevet for conduct 
in the battles on the Weldon, Richmond 
Virginia 



BATTLES IN WHICH THE WRITER 
PARTICIPATED. 



Names of battles as authorized by the War 
Department to be borne on the Battle Flags of 
the regiments engaged. 



Ball's Bluff 
Yorktown 
West Point 
Seven Pines 
Fair Oaks 
Peach Orchard 
Savages Station 
White Oak Swamp 
Glendale 
Malvern Hill 
Mine Run 
Wilderness 
Spottsylvania 
Petersburg 
Weldon Railroad 



SERVICE. 



Twentieth Massachusetts Vol. Infantry 

Thirty-ninth Mass. Volunteer Infantry 

Second Corps, Second Division 

First Corps, Second Division 

Fifth Corps, Third Division 

Army of the Potomac 

Served on staff of Brigadier General 
N. J. T. Dana 

Served on staff of Major General John 
Sedgwick 



EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS OF 
THE TIME. 

In the Field, October 24, 1861 
General F. W. Lander writes to my 
mother: "It is with regret that I am com- 
pelled to inform you that Charles is taken 
prisoner by the Confederate Troops. Prop- 
er means of transportation not having 
been provided our troops outnumbered 
five to one could not be reinforced. Col- 
onel Lee, 20th Massachusetts Regiment, 
refused to retreat until his wounded were 
on board the boats. Your son, Major 
Revere, and Surgeon Revere as gallant 

officers necessarily remained with their 
39 



40 SUPPLEMENTARY 

Colonel. Out of the 480 men of the 20th 
Massachusetts in that action we have lost 
in killed and missing 156 men aside from 
which brought off 45 wounded." 

Boston, October 25, 1861 
The Governor of Massachusetts writes 
to my mother: "I grieve to inform you 
that your son, Adjutant Charles L. 
Peirson, was taken prisoner with Colonel 
Lee, Major Revere, Doctor Revere and 
Lieut. Perry. The newspapers say that 
these officers became prisoners through 
their gallantry having given up their boat 
to the wounded soldiers. This act of dis- 
interestedness is exactly what I should 
have expected from these brave and gen- 
erous officers. I hope that an early ex- 
change may restore your son to the 
service." Signed, 

JOHN A. ANDREW, Governor. 



SUPPLEMENTARY 41 

Richmond, November n, 1861 
To my brother: "I avail myself of an 
offered opportunity of sending to inform 
you of my continued health. Yesterday 
the Commander of the Prison, General 
Winder, appeared with an imposing array 
of Colonels to assist him and read an order 
of the Confederate War Department 
about Hostages for the privateers held as 
pirates in New York with threatened 
hanging. Of course we cannot comment 
upon such a proceeding but you can be 
assured that the present privations that 
we all are subjected to are borne uncom- 
plainingly and that all future ones will be 
also. We will never give them the satis- 
faction of seeing us flinch. It affords me 
no pleasure to write when I know that my 
letter is to be read half a dozen times in 
its passage." 



EXTRACTS FROM A DIARY 
WRITTEN IN LIBBY PRISON 

Boston, April 13, 1861 
War began — Fort Sumter fired upon. 

Richmond, November 5, 1861 
Received letter from Wm. G. Saltonstall 
very kindly offering to send me anything. 
Richmond, November 14, 1861 
Dr. Gibson, C. S. Army, sent for us 
and we met him in the office next door. 
He stated that he had received a letter 
from Dr. J. Mason Warren of Boston 
asking his assistance on my behalf and 
also that of my fellow prisoners. Dr. 
Gibson offered in a general way to do any- 
thing in his power — and I told him that 
when I was in want I should take the lib- 
erty of calling upon him. There were 
many things that he might have offered to 

do, but which I would not ask for. 

43 



44 SUPPLEMENTARY 

Richmond, December 21, 1861 

Received letter from W. G. Saltonstall 
informing me about his accident on board 
the "Minnesota." 

Richmond, December 31, 1861 

The last of the year — 1861 — Probably 
the most momentous one since we were a 
people. God grant the next may bring 
peace to our unhappy land. 

The more I see of this terrible war, the 
more I deplore it and the more I see the 
necessity of continuing it. Our cause is 
even more desperate than theirs — we are 
fighting for liberty and against ignorance. 
These people are being taught to hate with 
a bitter hate three quarters of the people 
on this Continent. 

The Southern Press teems with scurril- 
ous editorials against the Yankees, ridicu- 



SUPPLEMENTARY 45 

lous to us who read them here, but I 
believe they are believed by the common 
people of the South. Years will not dis- 
pel this feeling, even if we come together 
again, which I fear will never be the case. 
God grant that our rulers will act with 
reason and justice, that the people may 
be brought to see that Slavery is not the 
object of this War and should have no 
part in it whatever, that we may bring 
back our Government to a firm basis of 
truth, justice and eternal right and that 
Good Will toward men shall be our watch- 
word. These are my old year prayers; 
may they be heard in Heaven. 

Richmond, January I, 1862 

The year opens up on me yet a prisoner 
in Richmond. Well, I have much to be 
grateful for. I hear from my friends at 



46 SUPPLEMENTARY 

home who are well and do not forget me. 
My own health remains, though not unim- 
paired, yet comparatively good, nor am I 
suffering for want of food and clothing. 

We are conscious of the fact that being 
here deprives us of experience, rank and 
opportunity which those who were more 
fortunate enjoy, but we are in strong hope 
that another month or two will end this 
imprisonment and this useless aimless life. 

Richmond, January 7, 1862 

One day passes so much like another 
that there are but a few incidents to take 
note of. In the morning we read the pa- 
pers, talk about the contents and walk 
about the apartment for exercise. In the 
evening we often play at cards but oftener 
read or write. There is not one redeeming 
quality about this life. The mind cannot 



SUPPLEMENTARY 47 

be brought down to study and is hardly 
interested in Dickens or Scott or in the 
one volume of Shakespeare which we had 
before he went to Jail. Very many of 
our associates are men of vulgar tastes or 
habits, so that their society is anything 
but agreeable. Noise and confusion reign 
most of the time with a constant jarring 
of one's sensibilities. 



Richmond, January 14, 1862 

Saw General Winder at his office at 4 
P. M. and rode there on horseback in com- 
pany with Lieutenant Hartstone. The 
exercise was delightful — distance 1 \ miles. 

General Winder received me with polite- 
ness and told me that his Government re- 
fused to exchange me for a citizen. I 
then expressed to him my belief that I 



48 SUPPLEMENTARY 

could through the influence of my friends 
effect a change in the treatment of the 
Privateers could I be sent with the assur- 
ance of a willingness to reciprocate. By 
his advice I made the application in writ- 
ing through him to the Confederate Secre- 
tary of War. I expect to hear the result 
of my application in a day or two. He 
also gave me a pass to the Jail where the 
Hostages are confined, the first time that 
any of us have had permission to enter. 
Colonel Lee and Major Revere were de- 
lighted to see me but my heart sank within 
me when I saw the hole that they were 
in. No prison in New England is so miser- 
able and uncomfortable. I believe that 
no seven imprisoned men in the North 
are so illy cared for as these. 

Richmond, January ig, 1862 
Letter to Gen. J. H. Winder: "General:— 



SUPPLEMENTARY 49 

The undersigned Commissioned offi- 
cers of the United States Army respect- 
fully ask your attention to the following 
proposition : 

"Learning that there are at Fortress 
Monroe and at Norfolk officers of the Con- 
federate States Army including Col. 
Pegram and other field officers part of 
whom are placed upon their parole and all 
seeking an exchange — We propose that 
they be exchanged rank for rank with Col. 
Lee and other officers now confined in 
Henrico County Jail and that we be per- 
mitted to take their places to be held as 
hostages for the men confined in New 
York. Our reasons for this application are 
the ill health of the officers referred to, aris- 
ing from the unwholesome place in which 
they are confined. The fact that they 
have since their confinement been treated 



SO SUPPLEMENTARY 

more rigorously than the Privateers in 
New York (in proof of which we refer you 
to the Hon. M. Faulkner of the Confed- 
eracy), contrary as we believe to your own 
expressed intentions, and because our own 
rank is sufficiently above that of the 
Privateers to make the accomplishment 
of your object equally safe and more 
humane. We ask your consideration of 
the fact that had you not held field officers 
as prisoners of war we should have in all 
probability occupied their places and 
that you would have considered the safety 
of the privateers sufficiently guaranteed. 
Also if the officers lost their characters as 
prisoners of war, when they were forced to 
assume that of Hostages, should they not 
receive equal treatment with their sub- 
stitutes, and is rank a matter of moment? 
On the other hand if they are still to be 



SUPPLEMENTARY 51 

considered as Prisoners of War ought 
they not to be treated as such, and do you 
not gain as much as ourselves in exchang- 
ing them for officers of equal rank?" 

Very respectfully your Obedient Servants, 

CHARLES L. PEIRSON, Adjutant 20th 
Mass. Regt. for Col. Lee 

GEORGE B. PERRY, Lieut. 20th Mass. 
Regt. for Major Revere. 

W. E. MERRILL, United States Engi- 
neers for Col. Cogswell. 

J. E. GREEN, Lieut. 15th Mass. Regt. 
for Col. Wood. 

J. H. HOOPER, Lieut. 15th Mass. Regt. 
for Capt. Bowman. 

JOHN MARKOE, Capt. 71 Penn. Regt. 

C. M. HOOPER, Lieut. 71 Penn. Regt." 

Richmond, January ig, 1862 
Visited the Jail and spent the morning 



52 SUPPLEMENTARY 

there ; my last day in prison. Tomorrow I 
shall be again under the Stars and Stripes. 
So many pleasant hopes and memories 
mingle with the plans for the release of my 
friends that my mind is too full for definite 
thought or writing. I have received a 
passport which reads thus: — "permission 
is granted C. L. P. to visit Norfolk upon 
honor not to communicate in writing or 
verbally for publication any fact ascer- 
tained which if known to the enemy 
might be injurious to the Confederate 
States of America." I have also signed a 
parole to take no part in the existing hos- 
tilities until released or exchanged. Had 
an interview with General Winder who 
stated to me officially for his Government 
that if the Privateers are placed as 
prisoners of war the Hostages shall se- 
cure the same treatment. Hurrah for 
the Stars and Stripes! 



SUPPLEMENTARY 53 

Washington, January 30, 1862 
Waited before breakfast from 10 A. M. 
(at which time I had the day before ar- 
ranged an interview) until 4 P. M. to see 
General McClellan. Saw Secretary Stan- 
ton and met General Stone at General 
McClellan's office. Saw also Hon. H. M. \ 
Rice of Minnesota and Hon. A. H. Riee 
of Massachusetts. 

January 31 
Waited all the morning at General 
McClellan's office. Wrote to Governor 
Andrew, called on Hon. Charles Sumner 
— met Mr. John M. Forbes of Boston 
who gave me much help in seeing in- 
fluential people. Captains W. P. Mason, 
R. B. Irwin, McMahon, Arthur Mc- 
Clellan (brother of the General), Aides 
de Camp to the General were very polite 
to me. Secretary Stanton gave me a 



54 SUPPLEMENTARY 

copy of the order transferring the Priva- 
teers to the War Department. This 
secures the release of my friends. 



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